🧮 Python Comparison Operators – Complete Guide with Examples (2025)

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🧲 Introduction – Why Comparison Operators Matter in Python

In real-world Python programs, you constantly need to compare values — to validate conditions, to filter data, or to drive decision-making logic. This is where Python comparison operators become essential.

Whether you’re building a web application, automating a task, or analyzing data, you’ll use these operators to compare variables, expressions, or user input.

🔍 By the end of this article, you’ll understand:

• All available Python comparison operators
• How they behave with different data types
• Common pitfalls and best practices
• Real-world examples and FAQs

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🔑 What Are Python Comparison Operators?

Python comparison operators are used to compare two values or expressions. The result is always a Boolean value: either True or False.

✅ Comparison Operators Table

Operator	Meaning	Example	Result
==	Equal to	5 == 5	True
!=	Not equal to	5 != 3	True
>	Greater than	7 > 3	True
<	Less than	2 < 5	True
>=	Greater than or equal to	4 >= 4	True
<=	Less than or equal to	3 <= 6	True

📘 These are binary operators — they always compare two operands.

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🧪 Python Code Examples – Basic Usage

# Comparing integers
x = 10
y = 20

print(x == y)   # False
print(x != y)   # True
print(x < y)    # True
print(x > y)    # False
print(x <= y)   # True
print(x >= y)   # False

✅ Line-by-Line Explanation

• x == y: Checks if both values are equal → False
• x != y: Checks if values are different → True
• x < y: Is x less than y? → True
• x > y: Is x greater than y? → False
• x <= y: Is x less than or equal to y? → True
• x >= y: Is x greater than or equal to y? → False

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🔄 Real-World Examples

✅ Example 1: Filtering Eligible Voters

age = 18
if age >= 18:
    print("Eligible to vote")
else:
    print("Not eligible")

✅ Example 2: Grading Logic

marks = 75
if marks >= 90:
    print("Grade A")
elif marks >= 75:
    print("Grade B")
else:
    print("Grade C")

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💡 Tips and Best Practices

• Use == instead of is for value comparison.
• Python allows chained comparisons like 10 < age <= 18.
• Strings are compared lexicographically ("apple" < "banana" is True).

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⚠️ Common Pitfalls

❌ Mistake	✅ Correct Usage
Using = instead of == in checks	Use == for equality
Comparing incompatible types	Ensure both sides are comparable
Using is for value comparison	Use is for identity check

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🧾 Summary

Operator	Description
==	Equal
!=	Not Equal
>	Greater Than
<	Less Than
>=	Greater Than or Equal
<=	Less Than or Equal

🔹 Comparison operators return Boolean values (True or False) and are essential for decision-making in Python.

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❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

❓What is the difference between == and is in Python?

== checks for value equality, while is checks for object identity.

❓Can I use comparison operators with strings?

Yes! Python compares strings lexicographically:

print("apple" < "banana")  # True

❓Can I chain comparisons like in math?

Yes! Python supports chaining:

x = 15
print(10 < x < 20)  # True

❓What happens when comparing different data types?

Python will raise an error for unorderable types (e.g., 10 > "5" will raise TypeError in Python 3).

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